Moonlight Madness
by WhiteInfinity21
Summary: It is the night of the full moon and a new tale is being spun: one of the Moon Touched girl, Sarah, who came back to the Labyrinth to win the Goblin King's heart and whisk him away. JS all the way. Oneshot.


Moonlight Madness

By White Infinity21

Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth nor will I profit in anyway form this story.

A crisp wind blew through the bustling town as the sun slowly set, staining the sky with reds and oranges. The scent of autumn was in the air and summer was nearing its end. The town's residents were hurrying about, getting their errands finished before night came. Mothers were herding their noisy children inside. Women were hanging outside the storefronts, getting in the last bit of gossip before they returned home. Young men were returning from their work in the fields, getting ready for the big harvest. The young ladies were standing off in groups discussing which of the lads they fancied and talking amongst themselves on which ones they wanted to snag as a husband. A couple of adolescents were engaged in a game involving a ball and several sticks, their antics so energetic that they more than once crashed into people on their way home only to run off with the adult furiously yelling at them.

All in all, it was a normal day in this moderately-sized, rural town. The seemingly newlywed couple that walked down the town's dusty main road was no exception to this rural, farm town scene. The only unusual thing about them was not the fact that they practically attached at the hip, looking at the other with stars in their eyes, that was quite normal for young couples. No, what caught the eyes of the town's people as they wandered by clearly deeply in love with each other, was the slight air of otherworldliness that hung about them. Despite their deceptive youthfulness, if one were to look into their eyes, they would see the wisdom of countless years gone by, hiding secrets that only they would ever know.

As the sun finally sunk completely beyond the horizon, the young couple mad their way over to one of the more popular local taverns, the _Peacock's Pride_, with a faded peacock with its beak up in the air painted on the tavern's weather-worn sign. Glancing up at the sign, the young woman giggled a bit, and whispered something into her companion's ear. With mock indignation, he exclaimed, "I am not!", which only prompted more giggles on the female's part as they entered the tavern.

Their entrance into the tavern hardly caused a reaction in the slightly smoky room, the regulars were used to strangers coming and going, if not regularly, but often enough so that it wasn't an unusual event. They made their way over to a table at the northwest corner of the room where they could have a good view of all the other tavern's occupants without being in the direct line of sight of many of the customers. A barmaid came over just a few moments after they took their seats. The man ordered a glass of last year's red wine and the day's stew while the woman ordered a mug of mulled cider and a plate of chicken with mashed potatoes.

"Tis' a bit earlier than usual for someone to order cider," the barmaid commented.

"I haven't had a good mug of mulled cider for years and I have heard that this place serves the best in the entire region," the woman explained.

The waitress, obviously pleased with the woman's comment, bustled off to fill their order. A few moments later, a man dressed in a slightly faded, green silk shirt that had obviously seen better days with a dark brown cotton vest over it, trail-worn leather breeches and boots, and a large red, floppy felt hat that had a large white feather sticking out of it came out of the backroom. He sauntered across the tavern floor as if he had not a care in the world and took a spot at the right end of the bar where he started setting up his instrument.

The man took one look at the foppish self-proclaimed minstrel and groaned. The woman, thinking something was amiss, looked at him, her eyes puzzled. Her partner lifted one arm and pointed towards the bar, at which the woman let out a chuckle when she saw who was there.

"Not him, again," the man complained, "it seems that every town we go to, that sorry excuse for a minstrel follows us."

"You only dislike him because he tried to come onto me," the woman responded.

"That daft man must have been absolutely blind not to see that you were already spoken for," he spoke with a possessive tone.

"Personally, I think that his music is not half bad," the woman commented.

"Oh what? Now you are siding with that young fop over there?!!" he cried out.

"No, I was just making an observation," she explained, a bit annoyed.

The man opened his mouth to reply but the food arrived at just that moment, cutting off what ever he was about to say. As soon as the mug of hot mulled cider was put on the table by the barmaid, the woman with a look of anticipation snatched it up and took a long draft from the mug. A look of absolute bliss slid over her face as the spicy yet smooth cider slid down her throat. Her companion chuckled.

"Careful love," he said, "you are giving quite the show to the other men."

Putting the mug down, the woman shot him an irate glare. He just chuckled again. Any further conversation between the two was cut short by a request for a song by one of the customers.

"Hey bard, can you play _The Moon Mad King_ for us?" a burley, middle-aged man asked.

"Sure thing my fine fellow, that just happens to be one of my favorites," the minstrel cheerfully responded.

"For the love of the Underground, not that piece of doggerel again," the man moaned, "I still wish that I could get my hands on the idiot that wrote that piece of rubbish."

"You only complain about it since you think that the song puts you in a bad light," the woman teased, "personally I think that it is kind of romantic."

"Women," he sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Men," she mock sighed back. Then she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't stick that thing out unless you mean to use it," he taunted.

The woman blushed and fell silent. The man, a feeling of smug superiority that came with getting one over his companion, leaned back in his chair. That feeling vanished the moment the minstrel opened his mouth and the words of the song he absolutely _detested_ came pouring out. The woman just smirked at her suffering partner.

_There once was a young maid, _

_Such a precious little thing,_

_Who, one day in a fit of pique _

_Wished away her little brother to the Goblin King._

_Through trials unnumbered and hardships untold,_

_The maiden went through the Labyrinth _

_To reclaim the babe that the king had stole._

The man shot a long-suffering look at his female companion.

"What?!! I was only fifteen, I didn't know any better!" she defended.

He just rolled his eyes.

_But that is another tale for another time,_

_What I am about to tell you, good ladies and gents is a different rhyme._

_For years upon years,_

_There t'was not a sign_

_Of the girl nor the babe_

_Which no one could not define._

They both winced at that really familiar, really _bad_ line.

_Till one moonlit night,_

_Quiet as a shadow and out of thin air,_

_The maid did appear._

_No one knew why or how the girl returned,_

_But one thing was clear,_

_She was no longer a child_

_But a woman in all ways._

_Many approached the maid,_

_Some old friends and some old foes,_

_Curious as to why she was here._

_Changed she was, they all agreed._

_A strange fire danced in her eyes  
That spoke of hidden knowledge and mysterious deeds._

_Moon touched they said she was,_

_Mad in her own way,_

_As if something unworldly had met with her _

_And left something behind._

"You never have told me what happened during that time," the man accused.

"I promised that I would tell you some day," the woman replied.

"You haven't told me yet," he almost whined, giving her his best wounded puppy-dog look.

"And I won't tell you tonight, either," she told him, completely unfazed by her partner's pitiful look.

He just sat back and grumbled a bit, before shooting a nasty glare at the minstrel that continued singing completely unaware of the look he was receiving.

_She took to the woodlands and the misty moors_

_Doing heaven knows what,_

_Though never once did commit a foul misdeed._

_None dared to trouble her _

_Her legend in the Underground was great,_

_For what fool would mess with the one _

_Who had defeated the Goblin King?_

The woman smirked. She always loved that particular part. Her partner only shook his head in exasperation. He really _loathed_ that part.

_Strange sightings soon started pouring in,_

_Of a girl who danced during the full moon to music no one could hear_

_And unexplainable events that happened whenever she was near. _

_There was the report of the aging sheepdog _

_That suddenly turned into a puppy._

_Or the one where the fountain suddenly dried up_

_Only to spring back into life nine days later_

_As if nothing had happened._

_Many things went missing _

_To be found later in the oddest of places._

_Like the baker's rolling pin _

_That showed up in a high lady's wardrobe,_

_Or the blacksmith's hammer _

_That was found neatly placed atop a guard tower._

"I've always wondered how you did those things," the man commented offhandedly.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out," she mischievously answered, "besides, who said that _I_ was the one that did all that?"

The man's eyebrows rose in surprise at that statement.

_Such occurrences continued on for several months,_

_And the King's subjects were getting fed up._

_So in a mob they went,_

_Right up to the castle's front gate_

_And demanded to see the King. _

_The Goblin King, curiouser than most_

_Decided that he should see what was causing all the fuss,_

_Went out on the night of the next full moon. _

_He met with the girl and watched entranced_

_As she danced and sang under the full moon's glow._

_Un-kingly thoughts filling his mind _

_As she swung her hips to and fro._

The occupants of the tavern hooted and made suggestive motions to the bar wenches at that line.

_With eyes shinning she drew him into her dance_

_Like a mortal caught up in a fairy ring, _

_The Goblin King was bewitched._

_Whether it be hours or days_

_They danced with the moon_

_Following her lead and dancing to her tune._

"That was quite the night. I can never quite clearly recall what happened during our first dance," the woman sighed wistfully.

"Our second dance, actually," the man helpfully added.

"That first one doesn't count," she tartly shot back, "if I recall correctly I was under the influence at that time thanks to you."

"Petty details," the man spoke, waving off her retort, "although I do have some very fond memories of what we did after that dance. You were quite wild that time."

The woman blushed and smacked her companion on the back of the head.

"Oww," he wined, "what was that for?"

"Oh shut up," she mock huffed, "besides we're missing the song."

"As if we haven't heard it a million times before. I still want to strangle who ever came up with that blasted limerick," the man darkly grumbled.

_When at last the moon set, _

_The girl and the King vanished _

_Setting the kingdom in a panic._

_For days they searched across the kingdom_

_For their missing king_

_But it was their bad luck to find not a thing._

_Thirteen days later, following the new moon_

_The King reappeared,_

_But he was not on his own._

_For with him was a young mortal boy,_

_(Really just a babe)_

_Who had eyes of sky-blue _

_That seemed to look into one's soul._

"I remember that those eyes of his frequently got him into trouble with the local gals when he got older," the man reminisced.

"He only got into so much mischief with all those girls because you had a bad effect on him," the woman rebuked.

"He is his father's son," he proudly stated.

"His father's _adopted_ son," she corrected.

"Details, details," he replied flippantly, with a causal wave of his hand.

_In front of the entire kingdom,_

_The King proclaimed,_

_That this young lad was to be the next Goblin King._

_The King himself was different _

_Back from his mysterious fling_

_It was whispered that they had a moon mad king._

The man snorted. A few of the tavern's occupants who had been watching the couple's antics ever since they got in gave him off looks,

_The years went by,_

_And the young prince grew._

_The maiden kept dancing and the King oftentimes too._

_It was a strange kind of love,_

_The two that they shared._

_They never married,_

_Nor did they live in under the same roof,_

_But the love shinning in each others' eyes was more than enough proof._

_Hardly seeing the other during the day,_

_But frequently meeting at night,_

_The King and the Moon Maiden _

_Often danced under the full moon's light._

_Many times when the King joined his lady love _

_Under the moonlight_

_They vanished out of sight._

_Days later he would return alone_

_With a slightly feral air about him _

_and a fey fire that burned in his eyes _

_that same that shone in his lady's eyes._

"Fey fire? How quaint," the man mocked. The woman just slugged him in the arm and told him to be quiet much to the amusement of several of the other tavern occupants.

_The cycle continued,_

_One season turning into the next,_

_The years passing by._

_Things continued that way,_

_As the young prince became a man,_

_And the King slowly became completely Moon Mad._

_The King's councilors despaired on what to do,_

_For as the madness slowly consumed him,_

_He became more and more distant,_

_Neglecting his duties _

_Preferring to spend hours on end staring at the moon._

"I didn't think I was that bad", the man remarked, slightly offended.

"No, you were worse," the woman replied, giggling.

He shot her a nasty look.

_The situation was getting desperate,_

_Farms were being untended, _

_Shops were left unopened._

_People milled about in the streets,_

_Confused and unsure of what to do. _

_It continued this way,_

_Till one Mid-Summer's Night,_

_When the moon was full and bright._

_The Lady of the Labyrinth,_

_Mad as a fae,_

_Came and spirited the Goblin King away._

"I always liked that title," the woman wistfully sighed. Her partner deliberately ignored her.

_The next day when the prince came down,_

_Naught but his father's pendant was to be found._

_Amongst the chaos and confusion, they say_

_Prince Toby was crowned Goblin King that very day._

_Now what happened to Old King Jareth and his Lady Love,_

_You ask?_

_If you look carefully on a full moon night,_

_One can be greeted with quite a sight._

_Among the moonbeams,_

_With the sprites and will-o-wisps,_

_The shadows of Jareth and Sarah dance to unearthly music_

_Under the silver moonlight. _

"I still don't see why you like that thing so much," the man griped.

"Men," she groaned, "I suppose that they could not appreciate a romantic song if it came and bit them on the butt."

"I will never get used to your weird Aboveground sayings," the man remarked, "besides, I can be romantic when I want to."

"Yeah, once in a blue moon," she snorted.

"Sarah, you wound me," the man dramatically slumped back in his chair as if in great pain.

"Get over it Jareth," Sarah told him.

"I just don't get why that dratted song is sung almost every night that has a full moon," Jareth complained.

"Because the full moon is practically the theme of the song?" Sarah sarcastically asked.

Jareth chose not to answer that question.

"Besides, the moon will be rising soon," Sarah continued.

"We best be going then," Jareth declared.

"Yes we don't want to skip our monthly ritual," Sarah teased, "or is it the fact that we usually make love like rabbit bunnies after the moon sets for the next twelve hours afterwards that makes you so keen to get outside on the night of the full moon?"

A light blush spread across his face at Sarah's provocative statement. Her time as a Moon Child certainly had made her very brash in some ways he mused. Not that he minded at all. It was somewhat refreshing to hear speech patterns that were so different from the norms of the Underground.

"Well, Lord Owl, will you do me the honor of giving me this dance," Sarah asked, curtseying.

"With great pleasure, Lady Luna," Jareth regally responded, bowing with a flourish, "I thought that you would never ask."

Sighing with happiness, Sarah buried her face in Jareth's chest inhaling his unique male scent. Heaven help her, she loved this man with all her heart and soul.

"I love you so much," she dreamily confessed.

"I know," he joked.

Sarah scowled and swiped at him playfully.

"Wrong answer, bucko," she shot.

"Peace Sarah. I love you too," he spoke.

"I know," she parroted back to him, a radiant smile on her face.

Jareth just smirked before leaning in for a kiss, swiftly capturing her lips with his own. A few hoots and catcalls came from the other tavern customers as Jareth came up and sent a roguish wink at their audience. With his arm firmly locked around Sarah's waist, the pair made their way out of the tavern, leaving their payment for the meal along with a good tip for the barmaid on the table. The tavern's patrons went back to their meals and drinks and soon enough another request for a song was hollered.

Jareth and Sarah walked away from the noisy tavern without looking back. A stray beam of moonlight came across their path and they walked right into it, disappearing with a small flash of glitter.

Out in a clearing in the forest a few miles away from the town, the moon's light drenched the small meadow in silver as a slightly haunting and unworldly strain of music drifted in the breeze as two shadows waltzed under the full moon.

* * *

This was my first Laby fan fic that I've written, so please don't be too harsh with your comments. I do want your feedback, but flames will not be appreciated. All flames will be used to roast Mary Sues. Any constructive criticism will be welcomed.

Depending on the responses, I might make this a one-shot or if there is enough interest I will continue this story, going more indpeth into what happened to Sarah and Jareth during the events that the song described.

I'll admit, I know that the song isn't the best piece of work, but it was fun to write. I'm not a very good poet or song writer, usually I hate the stuff, but I was inspired to write this after the first few lines (the part with "Till one Mid-Summer's Night, When the moon was full and bright")of the last part came to me in my Ecology class.

Reviews are the food of a fan fic author, so please feed me or this story will starve to death.


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